Organizational Culture, Climate, and Workplace Deviance

Introduction

An organization is a place where considerable numbers of employees come together, working with each other, coming up with different ideas daily, brainstorm those ideas and implement the same. Along with the work, number of problems and issues related to organisational culture, climate do arise in any of the organization which leads to a workplace deviance hence individual results got affected and the outcome of the company as well. The spread and costs related to workplace deviance make this study significant (Robinson and Lawrence, 2007). Workplace deviance leads to various Psychological reactions including depression, anxiety, low levels of self-esteem and confidence while job related reactions such as imbalance of personal and professional life and dissatisfaction in job are some other resultants and the cumulative psychological reactions further become cause for some physical ailments such as Increasing Blood Pressure, heart palpitations, nervous breakdown etc. and hence along with physical and mental disorders also become reason for financial situations due to expenses of possible hospitalisations and prescription of permanent dose of medicines. (Bjorkvist et al., 1994; LeBlanc & Kelloway, 2002; Schat & Kelloway, 2000).

Deviant behaviour means behaviour which is not productive for any organization for long run and somehow affecting the whole place of work directly or indirectly. This is now a day common issue for any workplace. And it includes a number of reasons which leads to the birth of these types of barriers in any workplace although number of techniques are also present in order to cope up with situations whenever arise in any organization. Deviance is a sort of any behaviour which usually violates the company’s norms. Deviance can be of various types. It can be both formal and informal. Formal may include robbery, murder etc. and Informal includes leg pulling, bullying someone etc. These all are usually seen in the culture of any organization.

There are many individual, sociological, organizational, and economic causes of workplace deviance. few examples of such causes include frustration, Personality, group influence, Ethical Work Climate, education and stress. Deviant behavior can be detected by a substantial change in a employee’s behavior such as changes in work attitude, tardiness, work punctuality, extended lunch breaks, and performance and other behavior related incidences. Deviant behavior can be seen as attention seeking attitude and becomes imperative task of management to look into the change in employee behavior and to take necessary action (Magyar, 2003).

Various studies conducted so far points towards the interpersonal and demographic and social and organisational factors influencing workplace deviance (Boye & Jones, 1997; Vardi & Wiener, 1996; Vardi, 2001) However despite many studies personality variables do not prove to contribute significantly in the predictions of deviant workplace behaviour (Robinson & Greenberg, 1998). But Rather a mixture of personality variables and the nature of the workplace situation is more likely to make best predictions of deviant behaviour (Trevino & Youngblood, 1990). However, few Studies have proved that young/new employees, working part-time, and those having low-paying positions are most likely to involved in various forms of production and property deviance (Frank, 1989; Hollinger & Clark, 1983). Though, these findings are less likely to be a result of the demographics rathen than nature of the job (Robinson & Greenberg,1998). Extant research has indicated that combination of social norms, thoughts of unfair treatment, and work groups influence play major role towards workplace deviance (Robinson & O'Leary-Kelly 1998; Robinson & Greenberg, 1998). However, there are not many researches linking the relationship of organizational factors with that of workplace deviance (Robinson & Greenberg, 1998). Most of studies do not depict a clear picture except some studies regarding inequity in pay does not provide clear view. (Hollinger & Clark, 1983;, Greenberg, 1990)

However situational and organizational factors have a direct impact on the employee’s behaviour and attitudes (Trevino, 1986). Organizational climate is one of important organizational factor which have a significant influence on employee behaviour (Tumipseed, 1988).